There are no products at Apple.

Apple is all about experience. I read the article about the book The Apple Experience and I really agreed with the points that the article made that Apple doesn't "sell more stuff." Rather, Apple's purpose is to "enrich lives", this is done by giving people who interact with Apple an experience that they'll never forget. And I believe that this is a core principle of Apple that extends beyond just their brick and mortar stores.

Remember these commercials?

I remember watching these commercials when I was in high school and thinking that iPods were just the coolest thing ever. It didn't matter that there were other mp3 players out around the same time that basically had all the same functions, the message the iPod gave me was that I would have this really great experience using it, an experience I couldn't find in other products.

I think the strategy of not selling products but providing experiences has been and is one of the huge game-changers of which Apple has pioneered. Even from way back in Apple's very first commercial, the focus on experience is evident:

Rather than just giving you a product, Apple wants to enrich your life, let you grow and help you to "think different". What is a more compelling sales pitch? A computer that has 2.6Ghz duo-core processing with 4Gigabytes of RAM and a 15inch display, or the ability to communicate with loved ones half-way around the world or watch movies wherever you want or being able to take your work with you?

Being able to have experiences instead of just products is very much present in Apple's brand. From the brick and mortar stores where just by playing with a product a six year old kid can say that she loves the Apple store, to iPad commercials that show us the experience of having freedom to enjoy media and entertainment wherever we want, I think that Apple has hit the bulls-eye with delivering a brand that is something more than just stuff, it is a way to enrich our lives.